Yoga For Beginnershttp://www.eyogaforbeginners.com
eyogaforbeginners.comWed, 19 Mar 2014 18:23:19 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.9.3Hot Yoga: A Fad or the Future?http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/hot-yoga-a-fad-or-the-future/
http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/hot-yoga-a-fad-or-the-future/#respondFri, 06 Sep 2013 01:44:48 +0000http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/?p=2055By now, you’ve probably heard about hot yoga. New studios seem to be popping up everywhere offering hot yoga, or a form of hot yoga called Bikram yoga. Bikram yoga was first created by yogi Bikram Choudhury, and has enjoyed increasing popularity over the last decade.

In this practice, a studio increases the temperature of the room to between 95-105 degrees. The philosophy behind hot yoga is two-fold. First, increasing the temperature encourages the body to sweat, thus removing more toxins than in a regular yoga class. Second, the hot temperatures allow the body to bend deeper and stretch further while avoiding injuries that may happen in a cooler environment.

During a Bikram hot yoga class, a certified instructor leads students through a series of 26 yoga poses; the series is always the same poses in the exact same order. The specific set of poses aims to target every part of the body including internal organs, joints, and muscles by the end of the ninety-minute class. Bikram hot yoga classes do not use aids such as blocks or bolsters, though participants do place towels over their yoga mats to avoid slipping on sweat.

Although Choudhury first popularized Bikram Yoga, some studios offer “hot” yoga that is not Bikram yoga. Rather, it is simply some other form of yoga done in a hot room in order to promote stretching and detoxification.

Fad or the Future?

Experts and yoga devotees seem equally divided. Though some health experts caution that the heat may be detrimental to those with certain medical conditions or taking certain medications, others laud the detoxifying effects of working out in a heated environment. The opinion seems equally divided among yoga devotees as well; some go to their first class and love it while others determine it isn’t for them. Many people who love yoga often take one Bikram class a week or every other week while maintaining a more intensive non-hot yoga schedule.

Maintaining a regular yoga schedule offers many benefits, whether you’re taking hot yoga or a more traditional class. The body can build strength and increase flexibility while the mind can center itself through concentration and meditation. Regular practice can also increase circulation while decreasing weight.

Here are some things to consider if you’re interested in hot yoga:

Do you have any medical conditions that can result in dizziness or discomfort when exposed to heat?

Are you currently taking any medication that could react badly to increased body temperature?

Are you well hydrated? (Most experts recommend taking hot yoga only when well-hydrated, which means you’ll need to plan ahead)

Do you have the proper clothes? (Those practicing Bikram yoga typically do so in loose-fitting, wicking yoga shorts and a workout-top. Pants or shirts with sleeves are not recommended).

Does the studio have showers available after class for those who’d like to use them?

It’s a good idea to test-drive a few classes before committing to an entire session. If you’re interested in hot yoga, see if you can drop into a class or two to see if this form of yoga is for you. Remember: listen to your body. Those new to hot yoga often sit out a few poses throughout the class to help their body adjust to the new environment. The most important thing you can do when practicing yoga is honor your body’s current abilities.

]]>http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/hot-yoga-a-fad-or-the-future/feed/05 Tips for Practicing Yoga at Homehttp://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/5-tips-for-practicing-yoga-at-home/
http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/5-tips-for-practicing-yoga-at-home/#respondMon, 22 Jul 2013 03:46:42 +0000http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/?p=2049Sometimes our busy life schedules just don’t allow us to take the yoga class we want. Managing to balance our professional and personal lives may leave little time for that 90 minute class at the local yoga studio. But that’s okay! Once you’ve taken a few classes and received instruction regarding the proper position for poses, your muscles begin to remember the correct postures on their own.

If you’re thinking about furthering your yoga commitment by practicing yoga at home, here are five tips to help you honor this important commitment. Even if you can’t put all five in place, two or three will help you implement your new yoga schedule.

1. Create a schedule

Before launching into a home yoga practice, really sit down and evaluate your schedule. What times work best on what days? Can you practice at the same time every day or will you need to alternate times on different days? When blocking out time, you should also consider when yoga would be most beneficial to you. For example, would you benefit most if you practiced early in the morning to energize yourself? Or would practicing be better in the evenings to help you relax and leave the workday behind?

2. Purchase needed equipment

Many studios provide different types of equipment for their students’ use including mats, blocks, blankets, and straps. If you’re committed to enriching your yoga practice at home, you should consider initially investing in any equipment you may need to assist your practice. It’s a good idea to have what you need on hand before beginning.

3. Set aside a specific space

Designate a specific area of your home or a beautiful outside space to practice yoga. If the area is in your home, it should be clutter-free. Consider creating a focal point to help your body maintain balance during more difficult poses as well. If the area is outside at a local park or on the beach, scout out an area that is free from noise and other distractions.

4. Find a good DVD

Sometimes workouts are easier when an instructor is guiding you through them. Many yoga studios offer DVDs for sale, or you could check out your local library’s selection. Many cable companies offer fitness workouts as well through their On Demand option. It may be a good idea to invest in several DVDs to have a variety of workouts available at your fingertips. Consider purchasing different yoga workouts to accomplish different goals: flexibility, strength, and weight loss.

5. Reward yourself

Maintaining motivation to workout at home can be challenging: so reward yourself! Create a simple chart outlining your plan to practice yoga. It could be as simple as a calendar to track your completed workouts. Once you’ve organized a system to hold yourself accountable, decide upon suitable rewards. Perhaps for every week you meet your goal of finishing five workouts, you treat yourself to something small such as a smoothie or movie. If you meet your monthly goal, perhaps you could treat yourself to a larger purchase such as those stylish yoga clothes you’ve had your eye on!

Practicing yoga at home is a wonderful idea to deepen your practice. Everyone spends time in their home—why not commit to making this time more beneficial to you? Starting small, such as adding just two workouts a week is a great idea; once you’ve adjusted successfully to this new schedule, consider adding more yoga until you’re practicing every day!

]]>http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/5-tips-for-practicing-yoga-at-home/feed/0How a Quick Anatomy Lesson Will Deepen Your Yoga Practicehttp://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/how-a-quick-anatomy-lesson-will-deepen-your-yoga-practice/
http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/how-a-quick-anatomy-lesson-will-deepen-your-yoga-practice/#respondThu, 16 May 2013 17:03:15 +0000http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/?p=2043Like any activity, yoga comes with its own jargon—and sometimes, this jargon relates to the body. If you’ve ever taken a yoga class and left wondering which part of your body your instructor was actually referring to, you’re not alone! For those new to yoga, a quick anatomy review may help you to connect more deeply with your yoga practice. Let’s take a look at some of the key body parts you should be aware of during your yoga class.

The Lungs

Although breathing seems a simple enough activity, raising your awareness of breath can deepen your yoga practice. Pranayama refers to how we breathe in yoga. When completing certain poses, your instructor may ask you to actively breathe with your belly, utilizing the core muscles to help you expel the air. Other times, your instructor may ask you to breathe with your diaphragm by expanding your ribs. For relaxation poses, such as the Corpse, shallow breathing may be called for as a way to let the mind wander and the body simply be.

The Sitz Bones

For poses that require sitting, your teacher may ask you to find your sitz bones. These bones refer to the lower part of the pelvis, or basically your bottom. The sitz bones are important in the body, specifically because the hamstring and inner thigh muscles originate here. Certain poses aim to stretch these muscles; over time, these stretches create flexibility and build strength in this area—which ultimately can lead to reduced pain in the pelvis and lower back area.

The Spine

In yoga, several poses such as Tadasana, or Mountain Pose, and Vrkssasana or Tree Pose, either focus on standing or begin in a strong standing posture. These postures both focus on aligning the body as well as increasing balance. In such postures it’s important to actively check in and assess whether or not your body is properly aligned. A well aligned body not only improves your posture, but reduces stress on muscle groups throughout the body.

The Hips

Many yoga poses work to open the hip area. This is particularly important since many individuals spend hours sitting—in a car commuting to work, at the office, or on the couch. Spending long periods of time sitting tends to shorten the hip flexors thus reducing our flexibility and mobility. Several important muscles join at the thigh bone, and hip-opening postures can positively affect these muscles by releasing tension built up throughout the day. Stretching these muscles also decreases the likelihood of experiencing pulled muscles when doing any type of strenuous exercise.

The Core

There are many benefits to building a strong set of core muscles. Core muscles act like a girdle for the body; located in the abdominal and lower back region, these muscles help to both support and balance the body. A strong core ensures that walking, bending, and other every day activities are easy and result in few, if any, injuries. Whether you’re building core strength through Virabhadrasana III, Warrior Pose III or Ardha Chandrasana, Half Moon Pose, routinely working to strengthen the abdominal and back muscles helps to ensure that the entire body is working as a single unit instead of fighting itself.

The most important thing to remember about your yoga practice is that it will become easier over time. Although you may spend more time than you’d like now aligning your body in a posture or focusing on your breathing, with repetition, your body will begin to take over. As you continue to practice yoga, your body will become stronger and the poses will begin to flow easier, thus making your yoga practice more enjoyable and fulfilling.

]]>http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/how-a-quick-anatomy-lesson-will-deepen-your-yoga-practice/feed/010 Yoga Words You Need to Knowhttp://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/10-yoga-words-you-need-to-know/
http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/10-yoga-words-you-need-to-know/#respondSun, 07 Apr 2013 00:12:57 +0000http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/?p=2031Committing to any new activity can be intimidating, and yoga is no exception. In fact, your first few yoga classes may be downright overwhelming as your yoga teacher may use words that seem completely foreign to you…and that’s because they are! Many yoga teachers may use the traditional words to refer to poses, gestures, and breathing techniques throughout your session. Fear not! These words will quickly enter your vocabulary. Until then, here are ten common words, their definitions and pronunciations to help you master your yoga class.

1. Asana (ah-sahn-ah) An asana is a yoga posture. In your yoga practice, you’ll move through a series of asanas. It is pronounced Ah-sah-nah.

2. Mudra (moo-drah) This term refers to the hand gestures used in yoga. This word is often combined with other words in order to create a full image of the desired hand gesture. For example, anjali mudra, is the term used to indicate the gesture of placing the palms together and at your heart. It is pronounced muh-drah.

3. Namaste (Nah-mah-stay) This word is a greeting, or salutation, in the Hindu language. Many instructors may begin and end a class with Namaste as it is considered a sign of respect. Translated, it most closely means “the divine essence in me recognizes the divine essence in you.” It is common to hold the hands together in front of the heart while saying this greeting. It is pronounced Num-ah-stay.

4. Om (ooumm) This is a mantra, which means it is often repeated during meditation. Historically, this mantra is used to center the mind. Yogis believe that this word evokes creation, preservation, and destruction. Many yoga instructors may open or close a class with a single om, or a series of oms, depending upon his or her preferences.

5. Prana (Prah-nah) This word refers to one’s life force. At times, it may also refer to an individual’s breath. It is similar to what the Chinese culture refers to as chi. The goal of yoga is to activate one’s prana as it is believed that this energy is considered intelligent. It is pronounced pra-nuh.

6. Pranayama (Prah-nah-yah-mah) This term combines two important concepts: life force and breath. Pranayama refers to the ability to control one’s breath for a specific purpose. This technique encourages an individual to connect with his or her body through the breath. It is pronounced pra-nuh-ya-muh.

7. Savasana (Sah-vah-sahnah) This word refers to a specific yoga pose. It is commonly referred to as the corpse pose. At the end of your yoga practice, most instructors will have you transition to savasana. It exists as a resting pose, and encourages you to connect with your body and note any changes during your practice. Although it seems to be a simple pose, it is actually quite important in connecting the mind to the body. It is pronounced shah-vah-sah-nah.

8. Ujjayi (ouw-jeye) In yoga, ujjayi is a breathing exercise. Just as an asana can help to strengthen the body, ujjayi can help to strengthen the breath as well as the respiratory system. Ujjayi breathing requires one to create a sound in the throat, similar to the ocean, while inhaling and exhaling. It is pronounced you-ji-ah.

9. Vinyasa (Vihn-yah-sah) This term refers to a series of connected yoga postures. These postures are typically linked with specific breathing patterns in order to increase the overall benefits to the body and mind. The sun salutation is an excellent example. It is pronounced vin-yah-sah.

10. Yogi or Yogini (Yo-gee or Yo-gee-nee) These terms refer to an individual who practices yoga. A yogi refers to a male practitioner while yogini refers to a female practitioner. They are pronounced yoh-gee and yoh-guh-nee respectively.

You’ll become a yogi or yogini in no time! If you ever feel lost during class, just remember that everyone in the room with you was a beginner at some point…and they stuck with it! Over time, these words will become as familiar to you as hello and goodbye. Until then, sneak a peak at this cheat sheet before you head off to your next class.

]]>http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/10-yoga-words-you-need-to-know/feed/0The Importance of Breathhttp://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/the-importance-of-breath/
http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/the-importance-of-breath/#respondTue, 19 Mar 2013 14:15:37 +0000http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/?p=2026Breathing is a key component to your yoga practice. Not only does focused, conscious breathing allow you to deliver more oxygen to your body, but it also allows you to hold difficult poses longer. In addition to these main benefits, controlled and deep breathing encourages your body to relax both physically and mentally, further enriching your practice. Think of these three breath-related things when practicing:

1. Focusing Breath During Practice

Breathing occurs automatically—so much so, that we rarely stop to check how we are breathing. And during periods of stress or tension, our breath often becomes shallower and quicker. Yoga asks that we tune into our breath and truly expand our lungs. Focusing our breathing in this way strengthens the entire respiratory system. It also begins creating muscle memory, which means that even without conscious thought, the lungs expand to fuller capacity as we go about our daily routines.

2. Building Strength Through the Breath

Controlled breathing can also help you better control your movements as well as hold a pose for a longer period of time. Deep breathing improves your neuro-muscular coordination, allowing you to move smoothly from posture to posture. Consciously opening the chest, breathing through the nose, expanding the belly and contracting it not only encourages correct posture but encourages the body to exercise the muscles as it is meant to do.

3. Increasing Oxygen By Breathing Deeply

Our bodies crave oxygen. The brain, nervous system, and blood especially rely on oxygen to function optimally. Increasing the body’s oxygen intake helps to purify the blood as well as rid the body of toxins. Organs begin to function optimally instead of minimally. The mind often finds a deeper relaxation too; focusing on breath pushes inconsequential thoughts and troubles away, inviting a more meditative state of mind.

Breath should never be taken for granted. In fact, it is as important to work towards perfecting your breathing technique as it is to perfect your posture technique. Each yoga session should begin by focusing on breath. This attentiveness to the breath should continue long past the session’s conclusion. Remember to check in with yourself throughout your practice and note the fullness of your inhalations and exhalations. Challenge yourself to breath as deeply as you can as you enjoy the energy yoga brings to you.

Breathe on!

Pranayama, or the ability to control one’s breath, aims to assist the individual in delivering more oxygen throughout the body using proper breathing techniques. Proper techniques draw air in through the nose while allowing the lungs to fill to capacity. In our daily lives, our postures and inattentiveness to our breathing often result in shallow, rather than full, breathing. In our yoga practice, heart-lifted postures and attentiveness to our breathing result in deep, full breaths which resonate throughout the body.

]]>http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/the-importance-of-breath/feed/0Honor Thyself: Why It May Take Awhile to Master that Posehttp://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/honor-thyself-why-it-may-take-awhile-to-master-that-pose/
http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/honor-thyself-why-it-may-take-awhile-to-master-that-pose/#respondTue, 05 Mar 2013 04:54:21 +0000http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/?p=2021No one likes to be the newbie in the room; however, pushing your body beyond its limits may result in injuries that could delay your mastery of yoga poses. One of yoga’s core principles is respect of the body. Don’t worry if your warrior pose isn’t as deep as the person’s in front of you; nor should you worry if your uplifted root needs to touch the ground for balance during tree pose. Eventually, you’ll be able to master each pose.

Building Strength Occurs Over Time

Yoga exists as a full-body workout. Many poses require different muscle groups to work together in order to hold the pose. When beginning yoga, you may find that some parts of your body are significantly stronger than others, or that some areas are much more flexible than others, and that’s okay! It may take some time for you to create equal strength and flexibility throughout your body. It’s important to be patient and respect your body’s initial limits. Over time your body’s strength and flexibility will increase allowing you to achieve a more perfect posture. The more you practice, the more quickly you’ll master the yoga poses

Building Commitment Requires Dedicated Practice

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither will the perfect dancer pose be built in an afternoon. In order to enjoy mastery of different yoga poses, you’ll need to commit to your practice. Whether that means showing up once a week at class and then practicing several more times at home, or signing up for several instructor-led classes each week, dedication exists as a core component to a successful yoga practice. The more you practice, the more your muscles begin to remember the correct postures automatically. However, perfect poses won’t just appear over time—they will appear when you actively listen to your instructor as well.

Listening Fully Helps to Improve Poses

When your instructor corrects your posture or adjusts your body, listen fully to how he or she is helping you. Remember: these corrections are not a criticism. There’s no need to feel embarrassed or self-conscious when these moments occur. Your yoga instructor is helping you; he or she wants you to achieve the full benefits of each posture, and may have to adjust your posture to make this happen. Take these helpful moments in stride and use them to work towards mastering each posture. Listening to gentle critiques is also important as they can prevent injury. Welcome your instructor’s corrections and learn from them.

Enjoy Being a Beginner!

Just remember this: everyone was a beginner once. Every individual wobbled through poses requiring balance or struggled to align the body correctly. Perfect postures are attainable, but require dedication, repetition, and a willingness to learn from others’ experience. If you find yourself feeling self-conscious during class, take a deep breath and honor your authentic self and know that you are on the road to mastery. Enjoy being a beginner—it takes courage to learn something new.

If you are at all familiar with yoga, you’ve at least heard the word asana used. But what exactly does it mean? The Merriam Webster definition doesn’t offer much information:

Asana (/ˈäsənə/) – any of various yoga postures.

Now let’s look at the word’s origin to see if we can get more clues. Asanais Sanskrit for “manner of sitting” or “a sitting posture.” Originally, asanas were used as a posture for meditation. The yogic sages developed these postures to make meditative sitting more comfortable so that it could be done for longer periods of time.

The Asana Evolution

Over hundreds of years, the yogic sages decided they needed to tone and maintain the physical body if they wanted to attain the perfect mental state. After all, if your legs or back hurt while you are meditating, it will be much more difficult to attain and maintain a pure meditative state.

As a result, the asanas blossomed from sitting poses to all manner of poses created with the same goal in mind: perfecting the body in order to perfect the mind. Over hundreds of years, yogi masters added to and perfected the yogic asanas to promote optimal health and energy flow throughout the body. But until Yoga came to the West, the asanas were always associated with attaining perfect meditation, rather than physical perfection.

Attaining the Perfect Asana

It’s easy to think that by attaining an asana posture, if even for one second, you’ve perfected the pose. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

To perfect an asana is not necessarily about attaining the pose perfectly. The girl pictured above in the Lord of the Dance pose may not be practicing yoga perfectly, even though her posture is perfect. The only way we could know if she was practicing correctly is if we knew what was going on inside her mind.

You see, it’s not about physical perfection when practicing the asanas – it’s about mental perfection. Is her mind perfectly still and quiet? Does she physically struggle to hold the pose, disrupting her mental peace of mind? These questions are more important than her physical ability to attain the pose.

So please remember, even if you cannot do a pose “perfectly,” it’s more important to focus on holding the pose as best you can while maintaining a calm, collected and peaceful mind.

What do I say to these folks? Don’t think about it, just start doing it! The more time you spend thinking about all the reasons you can’t or don’t want to practice, the more likely you’ll convince yourself not to practice. Start… and enjoy the ride.

So next time you have reservations about starting or continuing a yoga practice — just start!

And for those who can’t afford classes, practicing at home with a DVD is a very affordable way to learn and maintain a yoga practice. See my post best yoga DVD for beginners for my recommendations.

]]>http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/the-easiest-way-to-start-practicing-yoga-is/feed/0Controlling Fear in Your Practicehttp://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/fear-and-yoga/
http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/fear-and-yoga/#respondSun, 11 Nov 2012 01:28:37 +0000http://www.eyogaforbeginners.com/?p=1986Yoga is learning the delicate balance between control and surrender. In order to hold and flow from pose to pose without falling, we must exert a level of concentrated control. Yet in order to truly let our body move, release and breathe, we must allow ourselves to surrender.

This balancing act of control and surrender is something that can make yoga difficult, especially for the beginner.

Calm Your Fears

Fear can creep into your yoga practice, stunting your progress or even halting it altogether. Do not allow this to happen. Let me explain:

Let’s say you’ve never attempted Camel Pose (or any of its modified versions), for fear of not being able to do it. You may say to yourself, “I’ll never be able to do that, why try?”

In this situation, you are allowing fear to control you, rather than the other way around.

Here is another example: let’s say you try a balancing pose such as Tree Pose. However, you find yourself constantly tensing your body out of fear – which ultimatly leads to falling.

This, again, is allowing fear to control you, rather than the other way around.

Yoga teaches that the best way to overcome your fear is through surrender and non-attachment. Do not allow yourself to be afraid of failure – go ahead and safely try modified versions of poses you haven’t tried yet. Do not allow yourself to become attached to an image of yourself perfectly executing a pose. Instead, allow yourself to do each pose exactly as you can do it today. Go with it and flow with it – take it as it comes.

Without attachment and expectations, there is nothing left to fear.

Surrender and Relax

“Fear is excitement without the breath.” – Fritz Perls

Once you’ve let go of your fears and preconcieved notions of what your yoga practice should or should not look like, it’s time to relax. The only way we can truly allow ourselves to stretch, tone the muscles, and avoid injury is by relaxing into each pose.

How can we do this? By simply breathing.

It’s been said that “fear is excitement without the breath.” When we become afraid, we tense up and our breathing becomes short and shallow. Consciously control the breath instead. Breathe deeply into each pose. With each breath in – make a mental check for areas of tension in the body. Which each breath out, allow the tension to release.

Of course, we do not want to totally relax and flow over – so it’s important to maintain a level of bodily control amid our surrender to the pose. This balancing act is something that takes practice and time. It’s something we can only learn by practicing – not by reading, observing or speaking with others.

Before your next practice, take a moment to contemplate the balance between control and surrender. Think about what fear and attachment may play in this matter. Work off this and allow yourself to learn through your experience.

And remember: perfection is never the goal of yoga. Rather, the goal is simply to keep up, keep learning and keep growing in your practice.

III.1 “When the attention of the mind-stuff is directed in a single stream to a chosen field without being dissipated and thus distracted – that is concentration.”

Let’s break that down a bit further,

“When the attention of the mind-stuff…”

What is the mind-stuff? I like to think of the mind-stuff as a collection of your conscious and unconscious mind. This includes thoughts and inner dialogue that runs rather loudly through your head (i.e., “Did I defrost the meat for dinner tonight?”). It also includes slivers of thoughts that are often barely a mental whisper (i.e., feelings of hunger, heat or cold) and mere shadows of thoughts and emotions (feelings of sadness or happiness for example). Mind-stuff even includes the extremely subtle, yet always present, unconscious mind. These things – and the willful directing of these things – make up the mind-stuff.

Let’s move on…

“When the attention of the mind-stuff is directed in a single stream…”

By “a single stream,” it is meant your mind-stuff is consciously directed, focused and pointed towards one single thing. Imagine a laser beam cutting light through a dark room. It points straight, narrow and concentrated. There is no scattering or waivering of light– its single purpose is to point in one specific direction. This is akin to our mind-stuff directed in a single stream.

This degree of concentration is difficult. It takes something I think of as “mental muscle.”

And continuing…

“…to a chosen field without being dissipated and thus distracted –that is concentration.”

When Pantanjali says “a chosen field,” he doesn’t limit or define what that field is or should be. Your chosen field – or what it is you choose to concentrate on – could be any number of ideas or things. For example, you could concentrate on praying the rosary, repeating a mantra, visualizing a beautiful flower, the act of breathing, or practicing the asanas.

Yoga and Concentration

The very act of practicing yoga can and should be an act in concentration. It’s easy to think of dishes and children while holding downward dog – but then you’re not getting the full benefits from your yoga practice.

Instead, try using your practice as the “chosen field” of your “single streamed” concentration. Pay attention to your breath and movement as you flow and hold one pose… and another.

Pay close attention to all aspects of your practice – from bodily sensations (both good and bad), feelings of fatigue or energy, changes in the breath, and the places where your mind attempts to wander. If you pay close attention during your practice – you’ll realize there are a million and one things occurring simultaneously – both inside yourself and in the world around you.

In this way, you’ll make “doing yoga” into an act of moving meditation.

Let me now leave you with another quote from Pantanjali’s Yoga Sutras,

III.2 “When the cognition is entirely concentrated in that field thus becoming its own field of observation – that is, when the observer is observed – it is meditation.